Why do fire grates melt - A handy guide to prolonging the life of your grate.

We are often asked by customers why their fire grate has bent, warped or even melted.

The quick answer is "your grate is getting too hot to the point where the cast iron is starting to melt". This overheating can be caused by a number of factors as we have detailed below:

Temper the metal on your first fire - Starting with a small fire when using a grate for the first time will prolong its life.

Remove ash from underneath the grate everyday - a build up of ash prevents oxygen from drawing underneath the fire grate increasing temperature gradually until the fire grate fails. Grates need a direct flow of air from underneath to prevent overheating

Don't put fuel all in one spot - Spreading out fuels evenly prevents hotspots in the grate and will increase the lifespan.

Pull out the ashpan cover - If there are no air gaps in your ashpan cover air will not draw from underneath causing overheating as detailed above.

Mixing fuels - You can mix fuels however be aware mixing fuels will reduce the lifespan of a grate due to additional heat created.

Do not use water to put your fire out - The sudden decrease in temperature will reduce the lifespan of the grate.